Mexico - Ole!

We have completed our study of the ancient Mexican civilization. The boys and girls made presentations to the class which included dress, music, art, history, and food. We also had fun breaking three pinatas!

Now, it's on to Spring Break for some rest and relaxation!

By Mrs. Morris and Mrs. Metzger

A Delicious Surprise

Today was the last day of the FCAT and as a special surprise Mrs. Morris and Mrs. Metzger invited Miss Merriam, the Publix Apron's Chef, in to our classroom to show us how to decorate cupcakes! She started by telling us how important it is to wash our hands. In fact, we should scrub with soap up to our elbows while we sing "Happy Birthday" in our heads. Next, she showed us how to hold a plastic bag filled with icing and pipe a flower design or just a swirl. Each child had their turn and choice of pink, blue, green, or yellow frosting. The sprinkles were also a big hit! Before leaving, Miss Merriam taught us all a song in French. What a wonderful way to spend the afternoon!

By Mrs. Morris and Mrs. Metzger

"The Test" is here

The FCAT (Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test) is upon us. Next Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday we will be taking our standardized reading and math tests in third grade. One way that we are motivating our students to do their best is by putting a little candy treat on their desk each day. The first day we enjoyed Nestle Crunch Bars with the saying "The Crunch is On!" Yesterday the teachers gave the students (Hershey) "hugs and kisses" for working so hard. Today we had "smarties" because we are so smart!

Our students have some advice about taking standarized test for you:

• When answering detail or sequence questions, go back to the text to find the answer.


• If you have a context clue question, try "plugging in" all of the answer choices to find the best one.


• For author's purpose questions, look back at the title and directions for the story. Sometimes it will help you tell if it was written to entertain, inform, or persuade the reader.


• Take your time.


• If you finish early, check your work.


• If you run out of time - guess - don't leave any blanks!


• Get a good night sleep before the test and eat a nutritional breakfast that morning.

Written by the boys and girls in Mrs. Morris and Mrs. Metzger's class

Answering The Call To Duty

Our new President has challenged Americans to volunteer in their communities. We discussed what this means with our class. Some students already help others: Tyler mows the lawn for his neighbor and Sande reshelves books as a Pablo Creek Library helper. One way we can all pitch in is by working at the Chets Creek Saturday Mornings Campus Clean Up. This can be a family activity. Dates for 2009 include January 31, February 28, March 21, April 25, and May 30. Read The Connection for times and additonal information.

By Mrs. Morris and Mrs. Metzger

Just in time for the Chinese New Year...

As our unit on China draws to a close, the children have the opportunity to earn some Social Studies extra credit. Our students were encouraged to make a 4 minute presentation to their classmates about the Chinese culture. Many kids wore traditional Chinese dress, others brought delicious food to share, we had a PowerPoint presentation, a timeline of the many dynasties and their contributions, a diorama, and much more. It was a learning experience for all of us!
By Mrs. Metzger

Who Knew Sedimentary Rocks Were So Delicious?

As teachers we know that letting children experience or create something is the best way to make their learning meaningful. While teaching about sedimentary rocks, we found this recipe for a cookie bar that clearly shows the different layers through the glass baking dish. Once again our readers followed directions and worked together as a group. Each step of the process was recorded in their science journal, then diagams and observations were written.
By Mrs. Morrs

Taking a break for fun

As we prepare for winter break, it's nice to take a day to have some fun and enjoy being with our friends. On Thursday we spent the day creating ornaments: a candy cane reindeer, a mitten - wreath - or tree, a paper clip angel, we made cards and snowflakes, then we read a book called Stranger in the Woods and created a snowman out of a sock! We revealed our Secret Santa identity to everyone's surprise, and we danced to a DJ as we dipped treats into the chocolate fountain. Everyone in our class was happy and everyone behaved. We work so hard that it's important for us to take some time and enjoy ourselves and our friends. My only regret is that we forgot a camera!
Happy Holidays to all from the M&M's!